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Oct 05, 2017 / 20:18

Spreading the love

In the rural area of Hanoi, people living in Ung Hoa district call teacher Ngo Manh Cuong at the Son Cong middle school as”the teacher of the poor”.

Teacher Cuong and students at Son Cong middle school (Ung Hoa district).
Teacher Cuong and students at Son Cong middle school (Ung Hoa district).
In the Ung Hoa district, there are many students currently living in poverty, some even are orphans. With the love of a teacher, Mr. Cuong wants to support them, so that they can go to school as normal students. “In 2004, it was the first time I participated in charity events. That was when a 7th grade student of my class – Nguyen Thi Hoa asked for permission for absence to work in the farm for personal matter. At first, I did not know her circumstance, but then I knew her mother just passed away, so she stayed at home to pay tribute to her mother. Since then, I have always thought about her and students with similar situations” – Mr. Cuong said. 

More than 30 years of experience, but Mr. Cuong has worked at the Son Cong middle school for the longest time. With the love for students, he not only cares about their study, but also their difficult lives. Mr. Cuong is well-known for calling for charity fund to support poor students. For example, student Nguyen Thi Hong Van at Nghi Loc commune, who has heart disease, while her father passed away and her mother has mental illness. He has called for the community to support her and received 80 million USD to have her heart operated. Mai Tri Thuc has serious illness, which required to be operated, but do not have financial means. So he also helped him find the financial support and received 200 million VND, so that his family do not have to sell the house. 

​Or Nguyen Thi Hoa did not have conditions to continue studying, Mr. Cuong supported her, so that she did not have to give up her study. “Now she has a job and married, her family often visit me on the Tet occasion. It is my happiness to see my students grow up and have stable jobs” – Mr. Cuong shared. Besdies, Hoa, Van or Hien, there are many difficult students, who have received his supports. In this academic year 2017 – 2018, Mr. Cuong helped 6th grade student Tran Thi Hien. “Her mother passed away, while her father got mental illness. At present, she is living with her grandfather over 80 years of age. In the beginning of school year, I set aside a portion of my salary to buy her textbooks, uniform and other things” – Mr. Cuong said. 

In the last year event of October 20, Mr. Cuong founded the group “Share for love”, with members being teachers at Son Cong middle school, Cao Thanh middle school (Ung Hoa district), and An My middle school (My Duc district). Teachers have called for gifts and support poor students on Tet occasion or in the beginning of school year. In Tet holiday of 2017, the group has called for 15 million VND for 35 poor students. Recently, the group also prepared gifts for 8 students who lost both father and mother. 

Despite all the charity works all began from Mr. Cuong, but many generations of students have continued his good deeds. In the beginning of October, Mr. Cuong will retire. When asked about his future plan, Mr. Cuong said, he will have more time to support poor students.